Pulling Strings (One Shot)
by purpleblossom26
Summary: Episode 18 UA where Ladybug makes it out with a different doll than her own. Watching the episode beforehand is recommended in case of possible spoilers.


**Hey guys, so life has been pretty busy lately and I haven't had to me to even think about Miraculous Heroine, so sorry about that. However, I was able to write this little one shot pretty quickly last night, so hopefully this will keep your thirst for writing _quenched_. If you like what you see, I'd really appreciate it if you'd hit that little like button.**

 **If you're finding me for the first time, you should check out my other in-progress story on my page! It's not half bad.**

 **Okay thanks again for your patience you guys, and I hope to find some time to write soon!**

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From behind the chimney, Chat saw Lady Wifi appear from Marinette's window and jumped over his hiding spot and down the rooftop. He immediately sprang into action and began to chase after her.

"Lady Wifi, stop right there!" He yelled out to her.

She turned over her shoulder and when she saw him, a wide smirk spread across her face before letting out an evil laugh. "You can't catch me, Chat! This time I'm going to win!"

A gleam of a security camera caught her eye and before Chat could try to stop her, she dematerialized and was gone. Chat grit his teeth in annoyance and made his way back to the bakery where Ladybug was waiting.

He slid down his staff to her side and immediately began asking questions. "Did you get the akuma?"

"No, she didn't have one!" she replied looking distressed. "It was the Puppeteer who's controlling her, she must have an akuma."

That's right! That would explain how Alya transformed right in front of him earlier on the train! "Of course! Lady Wifi is just a puppet!" The suddenly he remembered why they were there.

"Did you get the Chat Noir doll?"

Ladybug suddenly smiled and reached behind her, revealing the black superhero. "Do you mean _this_ Chat Noir doll?"

A smile slowly enveloped his face and he accepted the toy. Now that he was holding the thing, he realized how accurate it actually looked. Marinette really did a fantastic job with it. He almost wanted to cry. "Wait, what about the ladybug one?"

Her smile faltered and they suddenly went back to business. "She really wanted that one. I couldn't pry it from her, but as long as we have yours we still have a chance, so hang on to it carefully."

Chat smiled cheekily at her. "Oh don't worry Chat Noir is going to save Ladybug for once." He exclaimed while making the doll do a heroic pose before securely tucking it into his belt.

Ladybug looked puzzled. "What do you mean? Chat Noir has saved Ladybug plenty of times."

Chat hoped the mask was hiding his blush as a sudden beeping interrupted them. He held up his ring and remembered how little time he had left until the transformation wore off.

"Go," Ladybug instructed while pulling her yo-yo to her ear to make a call, "feed your kwami."

Chat smiled gratefully and dashed across the street to find a spot to detransform. When they had finally found a spot behind an advertisement, Plagg flew from the ring and feel into Adrien's hand. When Adrien waved the smelly piece of camembert in front of Plagg, he seemed to already gain most of his energy.

Before long they were back in action, running above Paris again. Chat pulled out his baton and called Ladybug. As soon as she answered he asked, "Have you found her?"

From what he could see she was in a hallway, glancing past a corner. "She's at the kids TV station," she whispered. "I've got her cornered and I'm going in."

Chat nodded and confirmed, "I'm on my way," before shifting his direction towards the TV network building. "But don't go in until I get there!" he added before hanging up. He wasn't sure if she actually heard it though.

As soon as he slid through the double glass doors, Chat knew something was wrong. Not a single light was turned on in the station's lobby, the only lights on in the hallways were the emergency lights, and worst of all, ladybug was nowhere to be found.

As he crept through the abandoned hallways, Chat was always on high alert. He steadied his breath and timed his steps while making sure to stick close to the wall. Although the doors creaked when he tried a room, he made sure to keep it quick.

"Chat!" came a familiar voice from behind him. He turned and smiled as soon as he saw the familiar spotted figure. "I've been waiting! What took you so long?"

"I've been searching for you high and low for you, my lady! I just couldn't seem to find any trace of you-"

Suddenly, Ladybug had closed the distance between them and had wrapped her slender arms around him. "Oh Chat, thank goodness! I thought for sure the puppeteer had gotten you! I found her and we fought for a while but I was able to take her down, like I always do."

She slowly slid her arms further down his back until they were around his waist. Chills shot up and down his body, and his tail stiffened. "L-L-Ladybug, what are you doing?" This was so unlike her, and he was starting to panic.

"I take you for granted, Chat. I've been so stupid to my true feelings." Chat wanted to shake her off, but found that his body was unresponsive. He was completely frozen. The way her endless blue eyes stared back at him was hypnotizing and he was completely under her spell. It was almost undetectable the way her hand moved just slightly to grab the doll still under his belt. Almost.

Instinctively, his hand went to the doll and their hands touched, but now Chat couldn't feel any sparks. "What are you doing, Chat? I stopped the puppeteer, so there's no need for you to hang onto the doll." His tightened.

"I actually kind of like the doll, so I was thinking about keeping it a little longer. I don't think Marinette would mind."

Suddenly, anger washed over Ladybug's face and she removed her arms from him and let out a low grunt. Chat smirked. _Gotcha._

With both hands, Ladybug attempted to shove Chat to the ground, but he turned it into a backflip, landing with his baton in hand.

"I know it's you puppeteer. You may have gotten her, but I'm going to get her back!"

Ladybug took up her yo-yo and began swinging it. "You're a lovesick fool, Chat. Your constant need to protect her will be your undoing. I was going to let you go, but now you've made yourself a nuisance and I need to get rid of you. Hand over the doll, and you won't even feel the pain."

Ladybug launched the yo-yo at Chat's face. There wasn't enough time to roll out of the way, but Chat was able to swing the baton to take the hit and the string wrapped around the staff. Taking her chance, Ladybug pulled the string back, and ripped the weapon from his hands, sending it flying over her head and rolling down the corridor with a _clank_.

While Ladybug retracted the yo-yo string, Chat took a chance to leap past her, but was knocked backwards by another yo-yo attack. Back flipping once again, Chat used the momentum to strengthen his second attempt, this time aiming to slide under her wide stance. Taking her by surprise, Chat was able to make it past his opponent while also pulling the yo-yo and knocking her to the ground.

Before Chat could let go of the yo-yo, Ladybug yanked on the string, abruptly stopping Chat's momentum and she launched herself on top of him. Chat didn't have time to think about how she was straddling him as he avoided her punches. Placing his hands on her waist, he tossed her off of him, allotting him the time he needed to crawl to his staff and begin swinging it just in time to dodge her next yo-yo attack.

Chat gripped the pole with both hands and began using it at a bo staff to dodge Ladybug's endless number of punches and kicks. Although Ladybug had yet to make a scratch on him, he was quickly losing ground. He noticed she was moving them closer and closer towards the main studio, where Ladybug had said she was going to fight the puppeteer before she was taken. That must be where the Ladybug doll was!

Ladybug noticed Chat's distracted face, and kicked him in his unprotected side, just below the rib cage. He grunted loudly and fell on his back. Ladybug stood over him and pulled him up off the floor by wrapping single hand around his neck and throwing him like a pillow thought the double metal doors and into the recording area.

Chat rubbed his injured head, and when he opened his eyes he saw the most terrifying little fairy girl he had ever seen. She smiled down at him with the familiar ladybug and Lady Wifi dolls floating by her side.

"Nice to finally meet you face-to-face Chat Noir," she hummed with both hers and Ladybug's voices, "I've really enjoyed watching the two of you fight, but now it's time for you to give me what I want." He stumbled to his feet with his blurred vision. He slowly raised his staff to attack, but Lady Wifi suddenly appeared and was on him in a second, holding both of his hands tightly behind his back.

He grunted against the pain and shouted, "NO!", when Ladybug reached down and took the Chat Noir doll from his belt. The little girl smiled coldly in his direction as his partner held it up, to observe it before handing it over to the puppeteer.

"Marinette was too kind to this one. Too much detail to someone who is worth so little." She said as she allowed the doll to hover over her head. "With this, I finally win! Your miraculouses are mine!"

Chat had had enough. His vison had cleared enough for him to pull his upper body forward and knocking the distracted Lady Wifi to the floor. Chat regained his balance and dove for his staff.

Just as the puppeteer's magic hypnosis spell was about to connect with the doll, a metal pole jutted out and knocked the toy to the other side of the room. The puppeteer watched the toy sail through the air and bounce off the wall. When she turned around, the real Chat was at her side stealing the ladybug doll. As soon as he yanked the floating doll from the air, the magic spell spiraled downward from it and went limp in his hand. Behind them Ladybug slumped to the floor and Chat instinctively ran to her.

Sliding on his knees, Chat caught her head just before it hit the hard concrete floor. "LB? LB, open your eyes!" he demanded holding her in his lap, desperate to see her okay.

After a moment of Chat urgently rocking her in his arms, Ladybug's eye's fluttered open. She stared back at his emerald green eyes. "Ch…at?" She whispered. Chat smiled a wide cheshire grin before hugging her tight.

"Thank goodness." He whispered so quietly even Ladybug couldn't hear.

"You big meanie!" the puppeteer suddenly shouted, interrupting their happy reunion. "I was so close, and you had to come in and ruin everything! Just like every other time! Why can't I just win this ONCE?" Ladybug pulled herself from Chat and stood with the ladybug doll in her hand.

"Manon, there's a reason why we keep Paris safe." The puppeteer tried to exclaim how that wasn't her name, but Ladybug talked over her. "If the evil akumas caused were to go on unchecked this city would go into chaos and darkness. That's why we fight," she took out her yo-yo and began swinging it, "and that's why we're going to save you."

Ladybug launched the yo-yo at the puppeteer, but she easily flew higher to avoid the attack. The duo moved in to attack together, but just as before Lady Wifi interjected and took on Chat while leaving Ladybug to deal with the puppeteer. On her own, Ladybug couldn't leave so much as a scratch, let alone touch her. Finally, she had given up hope on catching her with just their weapons.

"Lucky Charm!"

While Chat was doing his best to keep Lady Wifi occupied, a small toy fishing pole landed in Ladybug's hands. There was no need for her ladybug vision this time. She already knew exactly what to do.

With a flick of her wrist, Ladybug launched the end of the line at the puppeteer, and the hook found its mark. With the line wrapped around her dress, the puppeteer had nowhere to run, or fly.

"Chat!" Ladybug cried to her partner.

Chat seemed to understand because he went from battling Lady Wifi one second, and going after the puppeteer's magic wand the next. It only took one try to successfully knock the object from the girl's hands, and the stick went twirling through the air until it clattered to the floor.

"NO! This will be my victory!" she screamed as Ladybug kicked up the wand into her hand and snapped it in half over her knee. The pieces fell to the floor as the akuma revealed itself and Ladybug finished it off by purifying it with her yo-yo.

The puppeteer was transformed back into the pig-tailed girl she really was, and Lady Wifi changed back into Alya. The four of them made their way back to the lobby as Ladybug answered what had happened.

Just as Ladybug was about to find somewhere to detransform, the child's mother came running from down the hallway and began thanking Ladybug for all her hard work. Chat was used to the one-sided praise and just looked on. After the conversation had ended, Ladybug said goodbye and ran outside, but Chat ran after her and stopped her outside on the street corner.

"Chat, what's wrong? I'm almost out of time." She asked concerned, but still implying urgency.

"I need to know, Ladybug. Did you grab my doll on purpose or by accident?" he asked hesitantly, but quickly added, "I won't get mad either way! I just really need to know."

She looked like she was about to say something but closed her mouth to reconsider her response. "Honestly, I did try to go for my doll first. I won't lie, it was my first instinct."

Chat looked away and nodded. He understood. She would have saved herself first, it was the natural instinct, right? There was no need to be upset. So why did his chest hurt?

"But I'm glad I got your doll Chat, and I don't regret it."

He looked up at her smiling face and nearly melted on the spot.

"I can't take on every challenge by myself, but that's why we're partners. That's why I need you." A beeping coming from Ladybug's earrings interrupted her little pep talk. "Gotta go. See ya!" Ladybug waved goodbye and swung down the street and disappeared at the next corner.

She didn't see the hot tears threatening to slide down his cheeks and Chat finally figured out how to move his feet and head back home. He couldn't wait for Plagg to make fun of him for this.

 _Fin_


End file.
